Nottingham Trent University wants to acquire the original Bramley apple tree in the hope of prolonging its life.

The tree was grown from a pip in the early 19th century and has survived for more than 200 years in a Southwell back garden – but now it is slowly dying, gripped by the incurable honey fungus infection.

The university hopes to become custodian of the tree by buying two cottages in Church Street and is in discussion with their owner. With the properties would come the tree, grown from a pip planted by a child, Mary Ann Brailsford, in 1809.

“The Bramley is the nation’s favourite cooking apple and the original tree is one of the most significant and well-known,” said Professor Robert Mortimer, Dean of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.

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“Unfortunately it will inevitably perish due to disease, but we would like to try to preserve this great tree for the people of Southwell for as long as possible.

“It has such huge cultural significance for the town and for Nottinghamshire, but also nationally and globally. We want to play our part in recognising its importance.”

Wide range of apples on show at the Southwell Bramley Apple Festival (Image: Joseph Raynor)

If the sale goes through, the plan is to refurbish the cottages and use them for postgraduate student accommodation. Southwell is just a short bus ride from the university’s Brackenhurst campus.

Horticulture staff and students would carry out an initial assessment of the tree. They would then set about carefully tending it with the aim of prolonging its life, and grafts of the original tree would be planted at Brackenhurst.

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The aim would also be to open up the cottages’ rose garden to the public, as well as develop plans to formally celebrate the history and heritage of the UK’s most popular cooking apple.

In the mid-19th century the cottages and tree were acquired by Matthew Bramley, who allowed local nurseryman Henry Merryweather to take cuttings from the tree provided the apples bore the name Bramley’s Seedling.

The first recorded sale of a Bramley was on October 31, 1862, when Merryweather sold three apples for two shillings.